OpenBSD Journal

Microsoft Now OpenBSD Foundation Gold Contributor

Contributed by tbert on from the makes-the-world-go-round dept.

On the heels of announcing support for SSH, and specifically OpenSSH, Microsoft has become the OpenBSD Foundation's first-ever Gold contributor:

The OpenBSD Foundation is happy to announce that Microsoft has made a significant financial donation to the Foundation. This donation is in recognition of the role of the Foundation in supporting the OpenSSH project. This donation makes Microsoft the first Gold level contributor in the OpenBSD Foundation's 2015 fundraising campaign.

Donations to the Foundation can be made on our Donations Page.

We can be contacted regarding corporate sponsorship at fundraising@openbsdfoundation.org.

It's encouraging to see words followed by action, especially for such a critical piece of software.

(Comments are closed)


Comments
  1. By Josh Grosse (129.9.75.252) on

    Congratulations! It's terrific that the company followed up their adoption of OpenSSH with significant funding.

    Comments
    1. By Raymond Côté (64.139.71.205) rgacote@AppropriateSolutions.com on

      Kudos to Microsoft for providing this funding support.

  2. By Anonymous Coward (2601:186:4180:61:7c86:69:8d1b:c5f8) on


    Many thanks to Microsoft for their support of the OpenBSD Foundation!

  3. By Rick Hanson (rh) rick@tamos.net on

    Very encouraging to see. I hope this is a great example for other organizations (and people) to follow!

  4. By Chas (147.154.235.102) on

    I bet that I know where this is coming from. OpenBSD is the basis of Anroid's libc.

    Surprise, Google!

    Comments
  5. By Amit Kulkarni (170.49.177.80) on

    If you can't beat them, join them.

  6. By Anonymous Coward (24.138.98.109) on

    I just hope it's not another Microsoft "Embrace, Extend and Crush" move.

    Comments
    1. By Billy Larlad (69.178.113.4) on

      > I just hope it's not another Microsoft "Embrace, Extend and Crush" move.

      And how is what is presumably a no-strings-attached donation going to accomplish that?

      Some people...

    2. By Angel (2001:4898:80e0:ed43::3) on

      > I just hope it's not another Microsoft "Embrace, Extend and Crush" move.

      I understand the skepticism :) but this is a new Microsoft, and we're very excited that Microsoft engineers are involved more than ever before in Open Source projects.

      I can safely also say that our intentions are to be part of this great community, embrace it, extend it, contribute and build a solution that our customers will benefit from using everyday..

      Finally, I like to thank the OpenBSD directors and Kenneth Westerback in particular for their help in making today's announcement a reality - Nowadays, it takes tons of paperwork and logistics to make a corporate donation happens.

      Cheers!

      -Angel

      Comments
      1. By Timothy C. Quinn (104.160.197.198) on

        I've seen some very cool projects coming out of MicroSoft based on Open source projects lately. For instance the atom/electron based (node.js + chromium) tool: Visual Studio Code. I would never use it but I think that its pretty cool to see such cross platform projects showing up out there by such a fundamentally closed source single platform focused company.

        Bravo and congrats.

      2. By noah pugsley (98.237.165.204) noah.puglsey@gmail.com on

        > > I just hope it's not another Microsoft "Embrace, Extend and Crush" move.
        >
        > I understand the skepticism :) but this is a new Microsoft, and we're very excited that Microsoft engineers are involved more than ever before in Open Source projects.
        >
        > I can safely also say that our intentions are to be part of this great community, embrace it, extend it, contribute and build a solution that our customers will benefit from using everyday..
        >
        > Finally, I like to thank the OpenBSD directors and Kenneth Westerback in particular for their help in making today's announcement a reality - Nowadays, it takes tons of paperwork and logistics to make a corporate donation happens.
        >
        > Cheers!
        >
        > -Angel
        >

        Hi Angel. Forget the loser haters. You are more than welcome here. Thank you so much for the generous donation. And as we all know, it's not like the project would be swayed in any way by your donation. See DARPA...:-)

        Thanks again!

        Comments
        1. By Anonymous Coward (98.237.165.204) on

          > > > I just hope it's not another Microsoft "Embrace, Extend and Crush" move.
          > >
          > > I understand the skepticism :) but this is a new Microsoft, and we're very excited that Microsoft engineers are involved more than ever before in Open Source projects.
          > >
          > > I can safely also say that our intentions are to be part of this great community, embrace it, extend it, contribute and build a solution that our customers will benefit from using everyday..
          > >
          > > Finally, I like to thank the OpenBSD directors and Kenneth Westerback in particular for their help in making today's announcement a reality - Nowadays, it takes tons of paperwork and logistics to make a corporate donation happens.
          > >
          > > Cheers!
          > >
          > > -Angel
          > >
          >
          > Hi Angel. Forget the loser haters. You are more than welcome here. Thank you so much for the generous donation. And as we all know, it's not like the project would be swayed in any way by your donation. See DARPA...:-)
          >
          > Thanks again!

          P.S. Fuck Steve Balmer.

      3. By Anonymous Coward (14.96.222.81) on

        My skepticism will end when (when even one of these is true):

        when I finally see their products like Microsoft Office for open platforms - Linux and BSD platforms. Nobody says that MS should open source the MSOffice and other products, but they should support by releasing their products more cross platform. Even though Libreoffice exists, but I gave example of MSOffice just because when MSOffice for Mac exists, then it wouldn't be hard to support Linux too.

        Or, when ( most importantly ) they support patent free and open video encoding technologies for HTML5, rather than pushing for patent encumbered MPEG.

        Or, when they support web standards better. html5 tests (www.html5test.com) scores are the worst for IE, rest major browsers are far far ahead of IE in html5test scores


        Or, Atleast they should support invalidating the software patents(only copyrights will be enforceable for softwares, not patents). Or atleast, software patents for user elements should be invalidated. They should join atleast the efforts. But I have never seen support from them.


        Patenting/Threatening due to "Ribbon interface" (even when prior art exists) - does not invoke confidence. User interface elements of ribbon interface - seriously - are they innovation??? Tese are arm twisting tactics. Microsoft should fight corporate wars from front- not from behind.


        ===================
        But their backstabbing stories like:
        (1) Nokia-Stephen Elopp mole
        and (2) recent funding of Cynagen-mod from background channels with obvious ulterior motives"
        - rather than taking war from front like brave hero.
        These recent stories of Microsoft do not evoke confidence in me, to even professionally work for Microsoft. We are not able to see Microsoft as "some gallantry glorified war hero - who plays with ethics". Look google, they have good image, look Apple - they fund BSD and clang regularly . Apple have a mystic feeling. Oracle stewards OpenJDK with open development. Whereas Microsoft has opened the source code of .NET with BSD license, but their development model is not open.

        The way they shelved "Ironruby , Ironpython" projects, do not evoke confidence, while jruby etc of java camp are still going very strong.

        There always seems trap in their act, C# etc are ECMA standards, but Winforms has no ECMA standard. Why? Is this not a trapping?

        So why should one embrace/rally for Microsoft , who have a cunning backstabbing image(embrace-extend-crush), not an image of a corporate war hero - the one who fought wars bravely through rules and emrged victorious. There is no glory in none of their act. They do not seem to be playing fair in even one of their act.


        They have so much money , but still so much insecure backstabbing tactics so far , why?? Even smaller companies, have better history/better image/better war ethics. They should try to play fair.

        Even then probably i would "like to believe" - with this donation that this Microsoft wants to change, and we should try to give them opportunity to change their image.

        **Atleast by supporting the upcoming Daala (patent free open video encoding) in their browsers, they can show that they stand for humanity and ideals too** . Money/profit is really very important ,but it is not everything. They should bring gallantry glory to atleast one of their acts too. They should try to become One company where one wants to work - just for Microsoft's one act of ethics, without asking that how much they want to offer me salary.


        in reply to
        ----------------------------------------------------------

        > I understand the skepticism :) but this is a new Microsoft, and we're very excited that Microsoft engineers are involved more than ever before in Open Source projects.
        >
        > I can safely also say that our intentions are to be part of this great community, embrace it, extend it, contribute and build a solution that our customers will benefit from using everyday..
        >


        Comments
        1. By phessler (phessler) on http://www.openbsdfoundation.org/donations.html

          > My skepticism will end when (when even one of these is true):

          Your paranoid rants do not make sense.

          The donation was made with no strings. A gift, if that is easier to understand. Microsoft is not allowed to make any demands.

          (please, do not respond with more rants. they are completely off topic.)

          Comments
          1. By Sum Yung Gai (156.33.255.217) on

            > > My skepticism will end when (when even one of these is true):
            >
            > Your paranoid rants do not make sense.
            >
            > The donation was made with no strings. A gift, if that is easier to understand. Microsoft is not allowed to make any demands.
            >
            > (please, do not respond with more rants. they are completely off topic.)

            Dismissing legitimate concerns about a company with an anti-Free Software history is not "paranoid rants"; rather, it's calling a spade a spade. Microsoft's donation here helps the OpenSSH Project, yes. For this, I am grateful, but they're doing this first and foremost to help sell Windows Server. Never forget that.

            So, let's take this for what it is, a donation to OpenSSH to help further it (generally) and more specifically its functionality on Windows Server. OK. But let's not make the mistake of believing that Microsoft is all of a sudden "friendly to F/OSS".

            --SYG

            Comments
            1. By Noryungi (noryungi) on

              > So, let's take this for what it is, a donation to OpenSSH to help
              > further it (generally) and more specifically its functionality on
              > Windows Server. OK. But let's not make the mistake of believing
              > that Microsoft is all of a sudden "friendly to F/OSS".

              OK, you are just trolling, but I'll bite:

              Nobody is saying that Microsoft is now a friend of Open Source.

              BUT: the fact is, they are the very first ''Gold'' sponsor of the OpenBSD Foundation.

              What about all those other oh-so-saintly open source companies that use, and have been using since day one, OpenSSH, but have never contributed *anything*?

              Yes, I am talking about Red Hat, the 900 pound gorilla of ''Open Source'', who has been using OpenSSH for years and years now.

              But also SuSE and a dozen others, open-source or not, using OpenSSH for everything.

              Where is the money from these companies? Hmmmm? Oh, wait, there isn't ANY. Nothing. Nada.

              At least, Microsoft understands that it is in its interest to finance at least some of the activities of OpenBSD. And it followed on that understanding with some cold hard cash, unlike a lot of freeloaders out there. Yes, I am looking at you Apple and Sun.

              Friendly? Maybe not, but at least, they are realistic about it: 50 grands get them a lot of good will, and some clean code and excellent software. There are a lot of worse investments out there.

              As for me, Microsoft money or not, I'll continue donating (a lot less money than them) and buying CDs as they come out. Not because I am filthy rich (I am not) but because I like OpenBSD, and I rely on it for a lot of projects.

              Have *you* donated to OpenBSD recently?

              (On second thought, don't bother answering that last question - I think we all know the answer)

            2. By phessler (phessler) on http://www.openbsdfoundation.org/donations.html

              Noone said Microsoft was "friendly to F/OSS". All we said is "thanks for the donation".

              Personally, I'm *happy* that Microsoft is doing what they can to better sell Windows Server. They have recognized that OpenSSH is the absolute standard for secure connections, and not supporting the protocol is damaging to their products. This change allows those that must connect to their products an option to do so from a native unix system, if they so choose. Interoperability gains huge from this.

      4. By Anonymous Coward (176.10.104.240) on

        Read the good news on my 640XL. :) Thank you, Angel and Microsoft.

    3. By Anonymous Coward (95.90.187.144) on

      > I just hope it's not another Microsoft "Embrace, Extend and Crush" move.

      It's "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish". Come on, man, it's the alliteration that makes it pop!

  7. By Ilyas Bakirov (82.200.241.50) on

    2015 year is full of Microsoft Open Source surprise :)

  8. By Anonymous Coward (212.184.222.170) on

    Considering the unusually high amount of comments...
    Why do I get the feeling that a lot of them come from some PR drones?

    Comments
    1. By Anonymous Coward (172.90.111.170) on

      > Considering the unusually high amount of comments...

      because this story got slashdotted.

      > Why do I get the feeling that a lot of them come from some PR drones?

      slashdot is full of drones.

  9. By Damien Couderc (91.135.176.215) on

    All of it started with Comic Sans ...

    Comments
    1. By Noryungi (noryungi) on

      > All of it started with Comic Sans ...

      And Comic Sans was a font designed for, and released by... Microsoft!!

      Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

      Seriously, though, this is great news. As much as it pains me (*) to say this: Thanks Microsoft for supporting OpenBSD and OpenSSH!

      And now, try becoming the first-ever Platinum sponsor for 2016!












      (*) Yes, I have to support Microsoft at work.

  10. By bluszcz (83.49.0.115) on

    Thats funny. Reminds me story with Darpa, when everyone was surprised like an infant after what happened.

    Now, after fighting with closed drivers world and producing hours of pro-freedom songs - make a contract with Microsoft.

    Hilarious :)

    Comments
    1. By Eric Yeoh (60.52.118.118) on

      > Thats funny. Reminds me story with Darpa, when everyone was surprised like an infant after what happened.
      >
      > Now, after fighting with closed drivers world and producing hours of pro-freedom songs - make a contract with Microsoft.
      >
      > Hilarious :)

      Money talks....and yes, the funds will be useful for future developments. That a company like Microsoft will be interested to contribute is indeed good news. Why aren't there more monetary contributions from Enterprise Open Source companies like Red Hat and SUSE? AAfter years of being labelled the bad guy, perhaps they finally turned over a new leaf? Let us hope so.

      Comments
      1. By Anonymous Coward (5.170.174.98) on

        Now, to be honest, Red Hat is the bad guy of opensource and has almost always been.

    2. By Reynald (2001:7a8:b142:22:219:5bff:fefa:b71b) on

      > Thats funny. Reminds me story with Darpa, when everyone was surprised like an infant after what happened.
      >
      > Now, after fighting with closed drivers world and producing hours of pro-freedom songs - make a contract with Microsoft.
      >
      > Hilarious :)

      Rather frightenning than hilarious...

    3. By Noryungi (noryungi) on

      > Thats funny. Reminds me story with Darpa, when everyone was surprised like an infant after what happened.
      >
      > Now, after fighting with closed drivers world and producing hours of pro-freedom songs - make a contract with Microsoft.
      >
      > Hilarious :)

      Seriously?

      Get your head out of your ass and learn the difference between a CONTRACT and a DONATION.

      There is no CONTRACT with Microsoft. The company just GAVE money to the OpenBSD Foundation.

      Sheesh.

    4. By phessler (phessler) on http://www.openbsdfoundation.org/donations.html

      > Thats funny. Reminds me story with Darpa, when everyone was surprised like an infant after what happened.
      >
      > Now, after fighting with closed drivers world and producing hours of pro-freedom songs - make a contract with Microsoft.
      >
      > Hilarious :)

      You are referring to two different things.

      The DARPA contract, was just that: a contract. Certain things had to be done.

      However, the Microsoft donation, is just that. A _donation_. There are no strings attached to the money from Microsoft. No way for them to influence how that money is spent.

    5. By Anonymous Coward (156.33.255.217) on

      > Thats funny. Reminds me story with Darpa, when everyone was surprised like an infant after what happened.
      >
      > Now, after fighting with closed drivers world and producing hours of pro-freedom songs - make a contract with Microsoft.
      >
      > Hilarious :)

      Now, here I agree with your dissenters. A donation is in fact different from a contract. As suspiciously as I do view Microsoft (and I used to work there, so I'd know), this donation does help OpenSSH, and that's good. And the OpenBSD team has a history of not kowtowing to proprietary software vendors...OR governments...at times quite pointedly.

      --SYG

  11. By Shane J Pearson (49.255.252.254) shane@flashbsd.net on

    Wow, thank you Microsoft!

    The news of implementing an SSH server and client in PowerShell with OpenSSH is very exciting and now this awesome news!

  12. By Anonymous Coward (45.63.13.162) on

    To those who are skeptical of Microsoft's actions here, bear this in mind:

    1. The old folk who ran the business before (Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates, et al) are no longer active there; they have been replaced by new people.

    2. As proven by Windows 10, they are trying to listen, even if it means they aren't quite getting it right. I am (somewhat) hopeful they are getting there eventually; even if not with Windows, but with other business ventures.

    3. Yes, it may just be a PR move.


    To that I add:

    1. New bosses, visibly new politics. They may be a little more open-source friendlier after all.

    2. Well admittedly after trying Win10 I'm not impressed; that aside, they found people didn't like the new whiz-bang tile-only interface of Windows 1.0... I mean Windows 8. They are working on SSH in PowerShell. Clearly whatever new politics are present may be working well.

    3. And so what if it is a PR move, or they're trying to sell Windows, or whatever? A bit of advertising surely doesn't hurt, if it means others benefit.

    And a fourth point: A donation is *not* a contract, and as far as I am aware (correct me if I am wrong), the OpenBSD foundation does not govern OpenBSD development choices, and are (at least partially) separate entities to OpenBSD. So even if the OpenBSD foundation were to be corrupted by some super rich org, then given the separation between the two, with financial backing being the main link, and Theo de Raadt (an individual who has the calibre of, well... Theo de Raadt) running OpenBSD, an attempt at corrupting OpenBSD development like that would fail miserably, in Streisand-effect proportions.

    Many are ranting and raving on the shady business of Microsoft, and yet ignoring the current and damaging shady business of Facebook, Google, and others.
    Whilst I am not attempting to dismiss their past as insignificant, it is important to approach this with an open mind, and bear in mind that, given the other shady big corps around, Microsoft really ought to be the least of everyone's worries.

    Comments
    1. By itok (114.125.168.102) yogimarada@yahoo.co.id on

      I apologize in advance to the arrival of this message, I want to ask how to get individual donations

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